Soccer Coaching: Teaching soccer involves teaching the basic skills, techniques, rules and maintaining fitness through planned training and practice. Other than this, as a soccer coach, you also need to teach your players certain basics that will build them mentally as well as physically.
- Fair play – soccer rules are not made to be broken.
- Practice serenity – there will be tough times. Your players must be calm in adverse situations.
- Team spirit – players must always be supportive and ready to help each other on the team, even when mistakes are made.
- Hard work – this always pays off. There is nothing worse than losing simply because enough effort was not made. Hard work can defeat apparently stronger opponents.
- Have esteem for the coaches, teammates, referees, the game, and opponents no matter what the outcome of a game.
- Focus on fitness, technique and strategy during practice.
- You are primarily a soccer player apart from your position on the field. You must practice passing and receiving the ball, shooting and dribbling, heading, and making space.
- In soccer coaching, think and assess the status before acting so as to find the optimum solution. It is called field vision. Aim with precision.
- Position on the field must be kept up at all times, vis-à-vis other players.
- Avoid getting into trouble by passing the ball properly.
- Follow the correct techniques of ball handling to keep the ball on the move.
- Never lose a chance to shoot the goal, preferably aiming the back of the net, not the goalkeeper.
- It does not mean you must shoot only when you are close to the goal. You should also use chances for shooting when you are away from it.
- Preferably aim for the right foot of the opponent when you attack while playing defense.
- The same way, expect your right foot to be attacked when you play offense and play with your left foot. Realize the importance of practicing ball control with both feet.
- Aim for keeping the ball in the team.
- Remember that so long as you have put in your best efforts, you can leave the soccer field with your head held high, whatever the match outcome is.
When teaching soccer coaching drills, don’t forget to tell your players that each one of them is capable of being a hero and always encourage them to aim for it.